The present invention relates generally to a mailbox signalling apparatus; and, more particularly, to a signalling apparatus for rural-type mailboxes to indicate when a mailbox has been serviced.
Rural-type mailboxes are usually positioned along one or both sides of a street to permit a mailman to deliver mail to or remove mail from the mailboxes without leaving his vehicle. Although convenient to the mailman, this is usually not convenient to mail patrons as they must generally leave their house and walk to their mailbox to retrieve their mail.
Often, mail patrons walk to their mailbox only to discover that the mail has not yet been delivered or that no mail has been delivered on that particular day. These unnecessary trips can be quite annoying, particularly during cold or inclement weather.
In an effort to eliminate unnecessary trips to the mailbox, attempts have been made to provide a signalling device capable of indicating when a mailbox has been serviced, i.e., that mail has been delivered to or removed from the mailbox. Examples of known signalling devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,613,031; 2,864,553; 3,559,878; 4,066,209; 4,344,559; 4,382,541; 4,706,880; and 4,771,941.
Known signalling devices typically include a flap or other indicator member mounted on or incorporated into a mailbox, and structure for causing the indicator member to move to a visible signalling position when the mailbox door is opened. By observing the indicator member in the signalling position, for example, from his house, a mail patron can tell that his mailbox has been serviced before he walks to the mailbox.
Known signalling devices, however, are not fully satisfactory. Many are complex in design, and are thus costly to buy, difficult to assemble and low in reliability. Frequently also, the components of many known devices are, at least partially, exposed; and are thus subject to rapid deterioration from the weather or are susceptible to being vandalized by children or other persons.
Additionally, in most signalling devices, the indicator member cannot be readily seen from all directions. In particular, mailboxes are sometimes located on the same side of the street as the house of the mail patron such that the rear of the mailbox is visible to the patron from his house. At other times, the mailbox is positioned across the street from the house of the patron such that the front of the mailbox is visible from the house. In most signalling devices, the indicator member is readily visible from only one side of the mailbox, usually the front side of the mailbox, and is partially or fully blocked by the mailbox support post or by other means when attempted to be viewed from other directions.